Industry Update 2026
Industry Update 2026
PSTN Switch Off
The final countdown is on! With just 12 months remaining until the PSTN switch-off, timely action is critical. Acting now will avoid service delays and protect your customers from loss of connectivity.
Progress so far:
- Back in March 2025, WLR (Wholesale Line Rental) ordering was discontinued, marking the end of new copper-based installations and driving adoption of single-order All-IP solutions.
- The list of permitted legacy uses continues to decrease, reinforcing the industry’s readiness for full IP migration.
- Ofcom recently reported that by Q2 of 2025, PSTN connections accounted for only 20% of all lines, showing strong momentum toward All-IP.
Openreach will apply quarterly price increases on WLR-based services throughout 2026. By November 2026, these services will cost twice as much as today.
At Giacom, we’re advising our partners to complete their migration of all legacy WLR and broadband estates by September 2026 to avoid the price increases and the inevitable bottlenecks caused by limited Openreach engineering resources.
For more information about the PSTN switch-off and the training and support Giacom has available to our partners.
Accelerate Your PSTN Migration with Giacom
At Giacom, we understand the complexities of migrating legacy estates, which is why we’ve developed two powerful services to make the transition smooth, cost-effective, and stress-free for our partners.
All-IP Managed Service (AIMS)
Our expert team will manage your All-IP transition from base washing and planning to bulk upgrades and delivery assurance. Not only that, but you can also benefit from exclusive commercial offers, including free WLR & SOGEA migrations.
Giacom Easy Switching
Created in partnership with Sky Business Wholesale, Easy Switching makes broadband migration simple:
- Move legacy estates to Sky SOGEA & FTTP with minimal downtime.
- No new hardware or engineering resource required—saving you up to £250 per order.
Learn more about how Giacom can help make your migration easy.
Earn £25 cashback
and save 10% on rentals on Sky Business Wholesale broadband
Plus, you can save up to £250 per migration with Giacom Easy Switching.
- Upgrade your legacy base the easy way
- Minimal customer downtime
- No router configuration
- Expert support via our Al-P Managed Service (AIMS)
AI: The Next Wave of Channel Innovation
Intelligence, led by Generative AI is here, everywhere, and transforming businesses. AI is now embedded in over half of all software, and more than 70% of employees already report using consumer generative AI tools to support their day-to-day work.
For the channel, this is a pivotal moment. MSPs and resellers who act now, invest in internal adoption, and build AI-driven managed services will lead the market, turning opportunity into competitive advantage.
As strategic technology partners to SMBs, MSPs are uniquely positioned to turn AI potential into real business value through managed services and ongoing optimisation. Resellers entering managed or advisory-led models also have an opportunity to evolve their role, provided they build the capability to support customers beyond initial deployment.
Giacom’s Chief Strategy Officer, Nathan Marke, had this to say:
“We have a technology with endless potential — and two million UK SMBs with very little understanding of what to do next. I’m not sure I can make the case for the opportunity for our channel community any more clearly.”
The challenge? Generative AI moves fast. It is available to our customers at the same time as us, meaning that we must work smart and fast to get ahead and stay ahead of customer demand. That’s why Microsoft and the MSPs we spoke to as part of our ‘How MSPs Can Monetise AI’ webinar series, consistently advocate becoming “Customer Zero” first – using AI internally to understand its impact, risks and value before taking it to customers.
To help you stay ahead, we brought together insight from forward-thinking MSPs already monetising Microsoft Copilot, alongside perspectives from Microsoft, Acronis and Giacom’s own specialist teams. These partners span small, mid-sized, and larger MSPs, giving a practical view of how AI adoption and monetisation work at different stages of scale.
Watch our webinar and download our whitepaper to discover:
- How pioneering MSPs are using Copilot and Generative AI to boost productivity and create new revenue.
- Proven strategies to move beyond licence resale and deliver real customer value.
- A clear framework to transform AI from a buzzword into a sustainable business opportunity.
Ofcom
Proposed Plan of work 2026/2027
Ofcom has released its proposed Plan of Work for the 2026/27 financial year. The plan continues to be centred on four priorities from their Three-Year Plan, which runs until the end of financial year 27/28. These policy priorities are:
- Internet and post we can rely on.
- Media we trust and value.
- We live a safer life online.
- Enabling wireless in the UK economy.
The closing date for responses to the consultation is 5th February 2026.
The Federation of Communication Services (FCS) has made the industry aware that it is once again disappointed that there is no specific focus on business and business customers. In their response to the consultation, they say they will “stress the need for an Ofcom business champion and a better understanding of the complex supply chain.”
Market Data
Once a quarter, Ofcom publish data which gives an insight into what’s happening across the telecoms industry. Here are some standout statistics from their latest report, published in January:
Are you thinking about adding mobile
to your product portfolio in 2026?
Our Partner Success Programme is designed to help you confidently onboard and sell Mobile, IoT, and Hardware products with Giacom.
Ready to start growing your business?
Learn more about selling Mobile, IoT, and Hardware products with Giacom.
Cybersecurity Simplified
In today’s cybersecurity landscape, SMBs are amongst the most vulnerable in the UK’s digital economy. But as Cybersecurity continues to evolve, attackers are increasingly targeting MSPs, software vendors and the wider supply chain.
67% of Medium businesses have experienced a cyber-attack in the last 12 months
29% of UK businesses experience breaches or attacks at least once a week
*Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025
Common threats and best practice
Common threats include phishing attacks, ransomware, data breaches, malware, and insider threats. These can disrupt operations, steal sensitive information, and cause significant financial harm. Attackers often demand ransoms based on their research of the company’s turnover, meaning multi-million pound ransoms are uncommon, making them more likely to pay. While many SMBs pay ransoms to regain access to their data, payments often make them even more vulnerable to further attacks and recovery of their data is often unsuccessful despite payment.
Embedding security throughout your business protects your organisation and strengthens the resilience of every customer you support.
Some best practices for protection against cyber-attacks are to:
- Regularly update your cybersecurity measures, including software patches and security procedures.
- Conduct periodic risk assessments and vulnerability scans to stay ahead of potential threats.
- Keep updated on market trends to stay ahead of emerging threats.
- Provide regular training sessions for your employees to encourage a culture of security awareness within your organisation.
Strengthening your security posture and helping your customers do the same is essential.
A strong security posture helps you to:
- Reduce operational and supply chain risk
- Stand out with secure by design services
- Build new managed security revenue streams
- Stay aligned with evolving regulations and frameworks
How Giacom can help
Cybersecurity doesn’t need to be complicated. With the right framework and solutions, you can build a stronger proposition, protect your customers, and unlock new revenue opportunities with confidence.
Our framework gives you a straightforward structure that starts in the middle with core protection and scales outwards as the business grows. It will help you communicate cybersecurity clearly, price confidently, and scale protection based on your customers’ needs, without requiring security expertise.
Our Essential, Enhanced, Elite Framework
We offer easy-to-use security solutions, from threat protection to backup, designed to keep you and your customers safe, and we can help you take your managed services out to market with confidence.
Our security experts provide fast, reliable support to keep you ahead of trends and offer the best solutions for SMBs. With 25+ years of cloud experience, we’re ready to support your cybersecurity journey and help you deliver tailored protection with ease
Interested in reviewing your Cybersecurity strategy?
Get a FREE Security Business Review
Talk to our experts to:
- Understand risks
- Ensure compliance
- Customise solutions
- Highlight cybersecurity value
- Uncover cross-sell opportunities
- And reduce liability
Managed Services
Our industry-leading experts can help you find hidden value.
From our cost-effective bureau service to full system and billing administration, we improve accuracy, efficiency, and profitability.
Let us handle the day-to-day administrative tasks, helping to improve your billing margins, and giving you more time to focus on what matters. With our industry-leading experts and consultants, you can be sure you’re working with professionals you can trust with your billing, day after day.
On average, our partners:
- save around 20 hours each month
- and increase revenue by 1%
“Giacom played an instrumental role in helping us deliver critical migrations and transformational improvements… that positioned Giacom not just as a supplier, but as a true extension of our team.”
Katarena Legg
Head of Billing & Credit Control, 4Com
“The solution has allowed for far greater efficiency, as well as providing better control and visibility, which supports us in making informed decisions to progress and grow the business.”
Christian Bleakley
CEO, Firstcom Europe
FCS
FCS Appoints Giacom’s Martin White as Non-Executive Director
At the start of this year, the FCS welcomed three new board members, further increasing the expertise and experience of its Directors. Paul Anslow, CEO of Triangle Networks, Rob Compton and our very own All-IP & Inbound Product Manager, Martin White.
Having worked with FCS as a co-chair since 2022, Martin’s appointment further cements his role as a strong voice for Giacom partners within the industry.
High Level Compliance Checks
FCS is now offering a High-Level Compliance Check as a free benefit for members. This unique health check can help prevent costly fines. Carried out by the FCS team, it ensures that members have the essential measures in place to comply with Ofcom General Conditions. They offer a follow-up call to discuss findings and answer any questions, providing added support and peace of mind.
New ‘Contract Tracker’ Tool
In December, the FCS launched the Contract Tracker, a practical online tool designed to help members ensure their customer contracts comply with Ofcom regulations. Created in partnership with legal specialists at Preiskel & Co, the Contract Tracker is designed to be a simple, user-friendly solution to maintaining compliance. And the best part is that the tool is provided completely free of charge for FCS members.
Online Regulatory Training
FCS have developed a range of ‘bite-sized’ training modules as a free benefit for members. They provide regulatory guidance, helping you to comply with the Ofcom General Conditions and UK Regulations.